An official website of the United States government
Here's how you know
A .mil website belongs to an official U.S. Department of Defense organization in the United States.
A lock (lock ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .mil website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

22nd TRS instructors summit Mount Rainier

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Jocelyn A. Ford
  • 92nd Air Refueling Wing Public Affairs
Senior Airman Jeremy Casinger recognizes the importance of his job as a 22nd Training Squadron Survival, Evasion, Resistance and Escape specialist. With more than 3,000 students a year passing through the school house trained on survival aspects, his knowledge, as well as the knowledge of the rest of the 22nd TRS instructors passed on to students, saves lives.

"To know that I gave them every little bit of knowledge and every bit of my experiences and that I did not short them of one aspect of SERE, so they may be best equipped to return home to their units and families," said Airman Casinger's.

"To teach somebody something you've read or heard is different from teaching something you've experienced," said Senior Airman Paul Merck, 22nd TRS SERE specialist. These instructors want to teach from experience.

In January the instructors decided they wanted to expand their knowledge of high altitude survival. Thus, the planning began for a trip to Mount Rainier, the second tallest peak in the contiguous United States. The sixteen instructors, determined to summit the mountain, formed four groups and began to research.

Considering none of the instructors are highly experienced at mountaineering it was a group effort to gain the knowledge needed for such a monumental task. Every member had something to contribute and they combined their knowledge by passing on websites and suggested readings.

After five months of planning, the 16 instructors came together for two hard core days of training before they headed off to truly experience firsthand the effects of high altitude. Midnight of June 16, the instructors from Delta Flight began their journey from Spokane, Wash., and arrived at 10,000 feet that same evening.

Day two started with some "down and dirty training," said Airman Casinger. It wasn't until 11:15 a.m. that they began their ascent to the summit at 14,410 feet.

Altitude sickness was a reality to all of the instructors. Altitude sickness can begin as low as 7,000 feet. This is caused by the thinner air, leading to less oxygen in the lungs and in the blood. Common symptoms are headaches, breathlessness and nausea.

"It impairs judgment and thought process," stated Staff Sgt. Brian Tomlinson, 22nd TRS SERE specialist. The experience is something he will "be able to convey to the students."

"It was a big wake up call," said Airman Casinger, "dealing with the single digit temperatures and the wind." Frost formed around their face masks, and even with all the layers of clothing and sun block, second degree burns were endured by many of the instructors.

By 9:15 p.m. all 16 instructors had reached the summit and returned to 10,000 feet. "Everybody got something out of it; everybody got to the top," said Airman Casinger.

With the success of this trip, others are now in the planning process. "SERE is constantly evolving and working toward being in the forefront, providing our warfighters the knowledge needed to survive," said Sergeant Tomlinson.